Windows 7 License query

Ricki · 13 Dec 2009 at 18:54

This will probably sound like a stupid question, but here goes:
I have purchased a legitimate copy of Windows 7 Home Premium (Retail), I also have a legitimate copies of Vista Ultimate and Windows XP MCE. I have yet to install Win 7 on any machine, but I intend to do so on my Netbook. However, I will be building a new PC early next year and want to install Win 7 onto that once it's built. So, can I use the same copy of Win 7 and install it on my Netbook, and once I have built my new PC uninstall Win 7 then install Win XP back onto my Netbook and finally install Win 7 onto my new PC? Therefore I will only ever have 1 machine running my copy of Win 7.

I'm just unsure as to whether the license means only 1 installation operating at any given time (regardless of hardware) or once I have installed it onto a machine that it is tied to that machine forever more.

ralv585 · 13 Dec 2009 at 19:06

i'm not sure, maybe you can install it on your netbook and simply not activate it?

if it's similar to vista, you'll get alerts to activate, just ignore these as you'll have a specific amount of time before it becomes unusable, so when it runs out, you can just install it on your desktop.

probably completely wrong, but it's just a suggestion.

Rroff · 13 Dec 2009 at 19:09

If its a retail copy of win7 you can install it on one machine at a time but theres no problem moving it to a new machine at a later date.

If its OEM then once auth'd its locked to that hardware and can't be moved to another machine (legally).

ajgoodfellow · 13 Dec 2009 at 19:11

I thought that for retail copies of windows you bought one license which meant that you could only have one installation operating at one time so in that case you could use the license on your Netbook then uninstall it and install it on your PC

I thought OEM releases were tied to hardware?

Ricki · 13 Dec 2009 at 19:12

Rroff said:
If its a retail copy of win7 you can install it on one machine at a time but theres no problem moving it to a new machine at a later date.

If its OEM then once auth'd its locked to that hardware and can't be moved to another machine (legally).

Thanks for that - let the installing begin